Gets my vote . I am learning more and more that the traditions aren't as clear-cut as I once believed. I guess in the end it simply doesn't matter as long as progress towards the goal is made (particularly at my level where I struggle with the simplest of practices, adhering to the five precepts!).

Peter is asking, perhaps rightly so, what's in it for PT from posting on this forum.

While I couldn't even venture a guess, I would like to say, though, that I very much appreciate his posts.Being an absolute beginner on Theravada groundwork, I find his pointers to pehaps looking at things from a different pespective very interesting and often thought-provoking.

And his disclaimer regarding him not being a relgious/orthodox practitioner is also clearly sated, so there is little risk of confusion there. So, I am grateful for his padticipation here.

I found the photo-tour interesting and inspiring. Although, it's not solid proof of a historical Buddha, I do find it reassuring that so many of those ancient places which the Buddha is said to have frequented have been identified. Maybe some day I'll be able to tour those places and see them for myself.

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." -- C. S. Lewis

As to the debate over the historical Buddha. I have a hard time believing that no historical Buddha existed.

From the bits and bobs I have read of the Sutta Pitaka it's been clear to me that when all the stock passages are taken away this whole Dhamma really does seem to originate from one voice. I don't think I can even try to entertain doubts that the voice that discovered this Dhamma was indeed one who has known and seen the world and human condition for what it is. I cannot see another possibility

mettaJack

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

Hi JackWhen you get some time, have a look around for Richard Gombrich's How Buddhism Began: the conditioned genesis of the early teachings. It'll be well worth your while.metta

Ben

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.” - Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:in mountain clefts and chasms,loud gush the streamlets,but great rivers flow silently.- Sutta Nipata 3.725

alan wrote:What I'd really like to know is, are there specific Mahayana concepts that anyone here rejected? If so, why?Web searches have resulted in "there isn't really a big difference" articles, but surely there must be. Thanks!

well in my view, some traditions in mahayana almost view the buddha as a God, which I don't like, and theravada emphasizes more on logic/see it for yourself type an ideology than mahayana.

Did an online search at Otago Uni library website and 11 of Gombrich's works are available for e-book download. Woo hoo, guess where my weekend is going

mettaJack

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

Sorry to be a downer, but upon closer examination there's only three, one of such being the afformentioned work. Also requires my university account/pw to view.

mettaJack

Last edited by BlackBird on Tue Dec 29, 2009 4:55 am, edited 1 time in total.

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

Ben wrote:Hi JackWhen you get some time, have a look around for Richard Gombrich's How Buddhism Began: the conditioned genesis of the early teachings. It'll be well worth your while.metta

Ben

Stop, Ben, Stop! I can only afford so many books Just ordered the Visudhimagga and "The heart of Buddhist meditation".

Have you seen the thread I started on Satipatthana: the direct path of realization?Its another brilliant work. Put it on your wish list!

jack wrote:Woo hoo, guess where my weekend is going

Don't be so antisocial Jack!Its our birthday weekend, its time to get your party hat on!metta

Ben

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.” - Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:in mountain clefts and chasms,loud gush the streamlets,but great rivers flow silently.- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Sounds good, we can crank up the volume on the stereo, put Metta sutta on full blat.

We havin' cookies and fizz? I can bring a cheesecake

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

Sure JackWe're preparing some low key 'events' - so to speak!More to follow!!

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.” - Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:in mountain clefts and chasms,loud gush the streamlets,but great rivers flow silently.- Sutta Nipata 3.725

I spent a solid hour last night looking for free copy of it that I could download, but no dice. Although, I did find a number of other dhamma books that looked interesting, and now have a solid month's worth of new reading material.

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." -- C. S. Lewis

From my earliest exposure to Buddhadhamma I was attracted to the Theravada. Similarly I was not at all attracted to concepts like Buddha Nature or the Bodhisattva idea, they seemed to me to be completely speculative. It was not though a question of rejection those ideas per se, it was more a question of finding no use for them or appeal in them.

The going for refuge is the door of entrance to the teachings of the Buddha.

I first learned about Buddhism through non-Theravada sources (books, magazines, etc.) and I always found the Zen approach appealing. When I met my first monk, however, he was in the Theravada tradition, and the type of meditation he taught was both totally workable and genuinely produced results. I have been observing with our town's small Theravada community ever since. Bodhisattvas, Pure Lands, Mahayana sutras, esoteric practices, and even Sanskrit to some extent now just seem utterly alien to me.

I realize that it's just personal preference. For some people, Zen or Pure Land or Nichiren might be ideal. I don't pretend that Theravada is better for every single person, but it is good for me. I like its emphasis on tradition, meditation, and its constant return to the basic formulas of the Dhamma. I think perhaps it just satisfies certain desires for me, until the day when I no longer have those desires.